SE: Wildcats Already Excited About Playing for New-Look K-State Coaching Staff
Apr 13, 2018 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
The changes to K-State football's coaching staff over the offseason were not wholesale, prompting an abundance of adjustments. They were significant, however, bringing a new level of energy to spring practices.
Just ask K-State's players.
"This is my fourth spring and this is by far the most intense spring we've had," K-State redshirt junior running back Alex Barnes said. "Yeah… it's different."
K-State hired three new coaches during the offseason, while four other current coaches received promotions.
The newcomers are Brian Norwood as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, Eric Hickson as running backs coach and Zach Hanson as tight ends coach.
Additionally, Blake Seiler was bumped up to defensive coordinator while Andre Coleman received the same promotion on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterbacks coach Collin Klein and offensive line coach Charlie Dickey both were promoted to co-offensive coordinator.
Collectively so far, the youthful staff has changed less about what the Wildcats are practicing and more about how they are practicing.
"Practices are definitely a lot more intense and there's a lot more emphasis on speed, play calls, and repetition," Barnes said. "It's going to be a new look this year and it's going to be pretty exciting."
K-State head coach Bill Snyder applauded the coaching staff's ability to maintain the program's "continuity" despite the changes within.
"I like the way they work together, that includes not just the new coaches but the returning coaches as well. I think they work together well," Snyder said, as K-State approaches its annual Purple/White Spring Game on April 21. "They all have an impact. There's coordinators and co-coordinators, but it's a togetherness type of thing. The continuity and the capacity for each of them to play their role and interact with each other has been impressive to me. They're getting along quite well, and I think the players appreciate each of the new coaches as well."
One reason for the new coaches' ability to mesh well with each other and the players is familiarity.
Hickson (1994-98) and Hanson (2009-11) both played for Snyder at K-State. Seiler (2003-06), Klein (2009-12) and Coleman (1990-93) did as well. Not to mention that Seiler and Dickey have been on staff since 2009, with Coleman coming in 2013 and Klein joining on last year.
"They've all been in our shoes before," K-State redshirt junior quarterback Alex Delton said. "That's something we relate to instantly."
Of the new coaches or coaches with new roles, only Norwood, a veteran defensive mind with more than 25 years of Division I coaching experience, enters his first at K-State.
Even he seems to have clicked with his players rather quickly. Like Coleman, Norwood has already earned the reputation of a "high-energy" coach, too.
"Coach Norwood is fired up all the time, always ready to go. I like Coach Norwood a lot," Delton said. "He's getting those guys right back there. These guys are making plays, flying to balls, playing a lot faster. They're getting better and better and better."
While none of the coaching changes have equated to extensive changes in schematics or philosophy, they have added a variety of wrinkles and different perspectives to K-State's successful system that has led to eight-straight bowl appearances.
Delton said Coleman, Dickey and Klein have all pooled together their football IQs while tweaking some offensive looks to better suit their personnel. All three have also brought a unified force of leadership to the offense.
"Coach Coleman's leadership, Collin's leadership, Coach Dickey's leadership is definitely something our team thrives off of," Delton said. "We benefit from them and I feel like they are guys that can lead this team from a coaching standpoint. All of them are very personable guys, too. We can talk to them off the field, not only on the field, and that's something that sticks with us."
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Skylar Thompson said that he's already noticed a difference in how the defense is playing in scrimmages, both in terms of speed and coverage philosophy.
"It's been great for us, for me and Alex and all of the other quarterbacks. We're constantly learning and getting better," Thompson said. "The more looks we get and the more things we mess up or make a mistake on, it's going to make us better in the long run."
More than anything from an Xs and Os standpoint, players are bought into what they are hearing from the new-look coaching staff. From Coleman, specifically, Delton said the message has been to strive for perfection every day.
"The thing about him is you could do something great, to a T, and he's always going to want more," Delton said. "I think that's something that's so crucial right now, especially for our young guys, to understand that you're never going to be good enough but to keep raising that bar. That'll make us the best team possible. I like the direction we're going right now.
The changes to K-State football's coaching staff over the offseason were not wholesale, prompting an abundance of adjustments. They were significant, however, bringing a new level of energy to spring practices.
Just ask K-State's players.
"This is my fourth spring and this is by far the most intense spring we've had," K-State redshirt junior running back Alex Barnes said. "Yeah… it's different."
K-State hired three new coaches during the offseason, while four other current coaches received promotions.
The newcomers are Brian Norwood as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, Eric Hickson as running backs coach and Zach Hanson as tight ends coach.
Additionally, Blake Seiler was bumped up to defensive coordinator while Andre Coleman received the same promotion on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterbacks coach Collin Klein and offensive line coach Charlie Dickey both were promoted to co-offensive coordinator.
Collectively so far, the youthful staff has changed less about what the Wildcats are practicing and more about how they are practicing.
"Practices are definitely a lot more intense and there's a lot more emphasis on speed, play calls, and repetition," Barnes said. "It's going to be a new look this year and it's going to be pretty exciting."
K-State head coach Bill Snyder applauded the coaching staff's ability to maintain the program's "continuity" despite the changes within.
"I like the way they work together, that includes not just the new coaches but the returning coaches as well. I think they work together well," Snyder said, as K-State approaches its annual Purple/White Spring Game on April 21. "They all have an impact. There's coordinators and co-coordinators, but it's a togetherness type of thing. The continuity and the capacity for each of them to play their role and interact with each other has been impressive to me. They're getting along quite well, and I think the players appreciate each of the new coaches as well."
One reason for the new coaches' ability to mesh well with each other and the players is familiarity.
Hickson (1994-98) and Hanson (2009-11) both played for Snyder at K-State. Seiler (2003-06), Klein (2009-12) and Coleman (1990-93) did as well. Not to mention that Seiler and Dickey have been on staff since 2009, with Coleman coming in 2013 and Klein joining on last year.
"They've all been in our shoes before," K-State redshirt junior quarterback Alex Delton said. "That's something we relate to instantly."
Of the new coaches or coaches with new roles, only Norwood, a veteran defensive mind with more than 25 years of Division I coaching experience, enters his first at K-State.
Even he seems to have clicked with his players rather quickly. Like Coleman, Norwood has already earned the reputation of a "high-energy" coach, too.
"Coach Norwood is fired up all the time, always ready to go. I like Coach Norwood a lot," Delton said. "He's getting those guys right back there. These guys are making plays, flying to balls, playing a lot faster. They're getting better and better and better."
While none of the coaching changes have equated to extensive changes in schematics or philosophy, they have added a variety of wrinkles and different perspectives to K-State's successful system that has led to eight-straight bowl appearances.
Delton said Coleman, Dickey and Klein have all pooled together their football IQs while tweaking some offensive looks to better suit their personnel. All three have also brought a unified force of leadership to the offense.
"Coach Coleman's leadership, Collin's leadership, Coach Dickey's leadership is definitely something our team thrives off of," Delton said. "We benefit from them and I feel like they are guys that can lead this team from a coaching standpoint. All of them are very personable guys, too. We can talk to them off the field, not only on the field, and that's something that sticks with us."
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Skylar Thompson said that he's already noticed a difference in how the defense is playing in scrimmages, both in terms of speed and coverage philosophy.
"It's been great for us, for me and Alex and all of the other quarterbacks. We're constantly learning and getting better," Thompson said. "The more looks we get and the more things we mess up or make a mistake on, it's going to make us better in the long run."
More than anything from an Xs and Os standpoint, players are bought into what they are hearing from the new-look coaching staff. From Coleman, specifically, Delton said the message has been to strive for perfection every day.
"The thing about him is you could do something great, to a T, and he's always going to want more," Delton said. "I think that's something that's so crucial right now, especially for our young guys, to understand that you're never going to be good enough but to keep raising that bar. That'll make us the best team possible. I like the direction we're going right now.
Players Mentioned
K-State FB | Welcome back Collin Klein
Monday, December 08
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Radio Interview
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Official Introductory Event
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Thank You Coach Klieman
Wednesday, December 03
